


Bound, Caught, Tied with a Lover's Knot

by Gigglepud



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, First Meetings, Getting Together, Growing Up, Mild Angst, Pre-Canon, au yeah august, follows canon loosely, so canon character death gets referenced
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 00:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15521943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gigglepud/pseuds/Gigglepud
Summary: Finnick is eight when he first meets Annie Cresta, completely unprepared for the way she’d steal his breath away with just a turn of her head. He stops, halfway down the stairs to the foyer of the orphanage, eyeing the scrawny girl with a single duffle bag slung over one shoulder.A soulmate au where you find your soulmate by reading your knots in the fishing line and Finnick may be the best fighter in training but he has yet to learn to love.





	Bound, Caught, Tied with a Lover's Knot

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by LNC's [AU Yeah August](https://auyeahaugust.tumblr.com/post/174949140300/au-yeah-august) challenge.  
> I won't be able to do something for everyday, but I'll defs try to do a few and maybe upload the ones I like. 
> 
> Fic title from Eerie Von's _A Lover's Knot_. 
> 
> It's actually been so long since I've read/watched The Hunger Games, but Odesta still has a large place in my heart. It's been so much fun to revisit this ship and just embrace the angst, aha.

Finnick is eight when he first meets Annie Cresta, completely unprepared for the way she’d steal his breath away with just a turn of her head. He stops, halfway down the stairs to the foyer of the orphanage, eyeing the scrawny girl with a single duffle bag slung over one shoulder.

Finnick has known the orphanage in all his life, has never known any alternative, but he’s encountered enough children coming into the orphanage older than a certain age to be wary. She looks younger than him, but probably old enough to realise her life isn’t going to be quite the same anymore. Yet, she doesn’t let any emotion show in her determined expression as she nods at whatever the adult beside her is saying.

He’s late for practice, though, so he doesn’t stop to greet her before he rushes out the door. They don’t talk until a week later, and she’s introduced to all the children in the Academy. She sticks to herself throughout the class, or perhaps even makes a point to stay away from them, until he corners her on the way out.

“Finnick Odair,” he says, certain his grin is cocky as he extends a hand. “What’s your name?”

She looks up with hardened sea-green eyes, “Annie Cresta.”

He walks her back to the dorms in the orphanage. She doesn’t seem eager to talk, so he does all the rambling for her. He tells her stories of training, of all the other classes, of things to do around the orphanage.

“So, any questions?” He says when they’ve reached the foyer of the dormitories. “Or any problems? If you don’t have any now, you can always come to me later.”

Annie’s mouth pulls into a thin line. “And what if I don’t want to be a murderer? You got a solution for me?”

Finnick stills, and when he looks at her, it’s the first time he takes in the stiffness of her shoulder, the hardness of her eyes. This is not a girl who has a problem with her past, but someone in defiance of the present.

He takes a step back, letting any aggression dissipate from his body. “You do know that they won’t force you to fight. The whole career training, well, it does make sense, you know. Why not let the kids who won’t be missed do it, but they won’t make us volunteer, you know? Otherwise, they say we’d be no different from the capital and well, we try to avoid that.” He shrugs. “So, it’s really just free training against the possibility that you’re reaped. That’s not such a bad thing, is it?”

He walks away before giving her time to respond. He’ll let her think on that before he talks to her again.

For Finnick, he’s decided he would volunteer ever since he could first think for himself. In the beginning, he figures it’s because no one would miss him, but the more he trains and finds himself at the top of the class, the more he feels if he can’t win the Games, than no one could.

It’s Annie who comes to him, the next day, just before training. Her hands are tight fists at her sides as she glares at him, “I came here by choice. When my parents died in the storm, I stayed with my aunt, but it was so bad there so I ran away here. I was expecting the worse,” she takes a deep breath, her gaze softening. “But this isn’t like that. It’s different to what I was expecting.”

“A good different?”

“Yeah,” she says quietly. “I wondered if I should feel guilty, to choosing a life of violence over one where I could have someone who’s technically family.”

“If she’s so bad she can drive you out, then that’s no family,” Finnick says, and wraps an arm around her. “Family can be who you choose, too.”

They become friends and she finds out she’s six years old. He tries not to be overwhelmed by the courage of the six-year-old to run away as she did; it’s the first time he realises: Annie is the bravest person he knows.

              *

Finnick doesn’t remember when Annie somehow became his best friend. She’s always around, snarky and unafraid of anything. She’s one of the most competent fighters of her age, even if she’s still no match for Finnick himself. And always, Finnick finds his attention drawn to her in an inexplicable way whenever she’s in the room.

Their favourite pass-time has become lounging in the grassy front lawn, sometimes just to lie back and stare at the sky, but some times they’ll sit up, Annie’s head leaning on Finnick’s shoulder, and they’ll people watch.

The orphanage is the first building between the rest of the town and Victor’s Village, a large series of building comprising also of training facilities of the Academy, a sub-section of the whole Orphanage. It’s removed from the centre of town, but the close proximity to the Victor’s Village also means it’s in the rich side of town, and there’s enough interesting foot traffic in the front to make an entertaining activity out of people watching.

When Brett and Millie sneak back into the Orphanage grounds after an unauthorised afternoon out, Finnick and Annie were at their usual spot, sitting beneath a large tree in the shade. They’re hidden in the shadows so Brett and Millie don’t notice them as they run pass, hands holding each other tight. It makes Finnick tighten his hold on Annie’s hand.

“Where’d you think they went?” she whispers.

Finnick grins, “Didn’t you see the fishing lines around their wrists?”

Annie’s eyes widen. “They went to see a Soul Seer, didn’t they?”

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Finnick leans back against the tree trunk. Brett and Millie were two of the older orphans and Finnick had been subject to their stiff dance around each other. Brett had been a frequent sparring partner for Finnick and for weeks he’d listened to the older boy freak out about the possibilities of Millie being his soulmate.

Dutifully, as the good friend that he is, he’d gone with him to a Seer, taken a test to see the attribute of his soul bond. Not that the result they got – _childhood_ – meant it was definitely Millie, but it still narrowed the options and gave Brett the courage to ask her out. And at least that was one annoyance out of Finnick’s mind.

Annie laughs, when Finnick relays the story. “That makes me almost curious, about what my soul bond says. Did you get yours checked out?”

Finnick shrugs, “I don’t really care about finding my soulmate, at least not now. Not if I’m going to go into the arena one day.”

Later that year, Brett volunteers for tribute and it’s Finnick and Annie who’re standing beside Millie when they see him fall on the big screens. Annie holds Millie tight, and none of them utter a sound amidst the loud groans and boos from everyone else in the square. The knot in Millie’s fishing line bracelet loosens, slipping to the ground, and that’s when they know Brett truly has gone from this world.

Finnick thinks back to their trip to the Seer. He did take the test, when both the Seer and Brett had looked at Finnick expectantly in the small stuffy room. Finnick had let his curiosity get the better of him, tentatively taking the small length of the fishing line to tie to soul knot.

With the guidance of the Seer, when two people who are soul mates pull the two ends of the line, it would untangle. But it’s also an option for a person to pull both ends by themselves, in which the knot is supposed define the relationship between their soulmate and themselves. And the Seer had taken one look at the knot Finnick had gotten with his Soul Line and shook his head with sympathy. _Tragedy_ is the meaning of his knot.

He looks past Millie’s quivering mess of hair at Annie. The stupidly optimistic part of him had always hoped that maybe, it might be a tragedy because he’s already got all he ever wanted with Annie, and so maybe the tragedy was in his rejection of his soulmate. But he could never rule out the chance of dying in the arena.

And this is reality sinking in. He won’t find his soulmate, because they’re someone who would no doubt shake his resolve to go into the arena and he can’t afford any such distraction. And he’s not going to torment anyone if he’s not completely certain he’ll get out of the arena alive.

              *

Finnick is thirteen, and Annie eleven, when she seeks him out in his rooms one night. She’s victoriously holding a short fishing line with a knot in the middle as she slams open his door.

“Mine means protector,” she says without preamble. “And you’ve been doing just that since we’ve met.”

Finnick throat is suddenly dry, his chest closing in on his hammering heart. He doesn’t even remember when he first he realised he liked Annie in more ways than just as friends, but he’d never intended for her to notice. He lurches, every single time the way they interact reminds him of Brett and Millie before they’d gotten together, but it’s worse because he’s not naïve to know exactly what’s going on between them, but he can’t acknowledge it.

He’d always hoped Annie would let it slide. But as always, she’s the braver of the two of them.

“I can’t-” Finnick says hoarsely. He doesn’t know how to finish the sentence, not when Annie is standing there, her fiery green eyes blazing as if she’s at checkmate.

“You like me,” she’s not even framing it like a question. “And I like you, so what’s the problem?”

“We’re young, surely too young to date or whatever, so don’t you think we should maybe, wait it out a bit, first?”

Annie crosses her hands in front of her chest, clearly not buying it. “Finnick, what does waiting even mean? We act like we’re in a relationship already, we’re always in each other’s arms.”

Finnick scratches his head. “Just, alright fine. I just- let’s not talk about the soulmates thing, alright?” And then he moves forward, pulling her into him. He’d meant to hug her, but Annie is never one to shy away from anything, so she takes his head in hers and kisses him. 

He knows, then, that it his Soul Line could never have been the first option. Annie _is_ his soulmate, he knows this in the same way he knows all her favourite foods and weapons. Knows this from the way he’s been drawn to her from their first meeting.

Finnick has lived his whole life in anticipation for the games. He won’t let a crush take that away from him, but he doesn’t think he’ll make himself leave her if he lets their relationship deepen.

So he evaluates all his skills, considers himself ready, and volunteers for the next reaping.

Annie is furious, but she doesn’t stop him.

“Is there a reason why you still refuse to let us see a Seer together?” Annie asks, later when Finnick is in the tributes’ room, a moment to say goodbyes.

Finnick frowns, “Is this really what you choose to say to me, now of all times?”

“Well, you won’t let me say any goodbyes or treat this like I might never see you again, so what am I supposed to do?” She says heatedly.

Finnick shushes her with a quick kiss, then a grin. “You’re right. So I’ll promise you this, we can go see a Seer together, when I get back.”

He doesn’t really know why he’s still afraid of the confirmation that they’re soulmates. Would it also confirm that their relationship would be one of tragedy, then?

Once, Finnick would have been completely confident of his impending victory, but with the stupid fishing line he’d let his curious self see, he’s been preparing himself for all the ways Annie might be ripped away from him.

              *

When he returns to District 4, she’s the first to see him. They don’t let go of each other’s hands for the whole week, as he gradually moves all his stuff to his new house at the Victor’s Village. But when he offers for her to move in with him, simply because surely she can do better than what’s offered at the orphanage, her expression falls solemn as she takes a step away.

“I can’t,” she says quietly.

“Why not?” Finnick demands. “If someone’s keeping you, well, I’ll convince them to let you go.”

Annie shakes her head, “You’re not the only one who wants to be try their hand at the Games, Finnick.”

Finnick’s blood runs cold. “You can’t do that. Don’t do that, Annie.”

He doesn’t know why he ever thought the threat of tragedy would be over when he wins the Games.

“You don’t get to choose what I do or don’t do,” Annie retorts. “I’m not sure yet, because unlike you, I’m not crazy enough to consider volunteering at 14, but I’m going to leave the option open.”

Finnick nods and changes the topic to describe all the ridiculous things he saw at Capitol. He doesn’t really want to think of his girlfriend in all that danger. Somehow, the conversation redirects to soulmates, and he really should have known.

“Come on,” Annie tugs his arm, “I know you don’t care, but then why not indulge me?”

Finnick shakes his head, makes some faulty excuse that he know won’t last the week. But Annie is as kind as she is brave, and she lets Finnick go when she sees his discomfort.

But it’s harder to backtrack when they’re in his old dorms, helping him clean up as he takes the last of all his belongings from where he’s always been for the first fourteen years of his life. He forgets about the Soul Line lying at the bottom of his bed until she’s already looking there, a flash of anger in her eyes as she comes out dangling the line between two fingers.

“What’s this,” she demands.

Finnick’s stomach sinks. He sighs before he walks over to her, sitting down beside where she’s still crouched next to the bed. He’s been holding his worries for so long it comes out all at once.

“It’s my soul line, Annie. The Seer says it means tragedy – and I think, I think it means whoever my soulmate is, it’s going to end badly. That’s why, Annie, I _can’t_. I can’t have that confirmation it’s you, because, because that means this line refers to us and I don’t think I’d be able to take that.” He buries his face in her shoulder, feeling all the stress and tension escape his shoulder as he finally let his walls down.

Annie’s fingers on his back is soft as she makes broad strokes. Only her soft murmurs of: “It’s alright”, break the heavy silence that had draped over the room.

It feels like forever before she speaks up again, her voice firm. “Finnick, we should still go see a Seer.”

Finnick lifts his head up to look at her, determined eyes glare back at him.

She continues, “I don’t care. I don’t care about all that that’s apparently inevitable. If something bad happens, then it happens. But at this point, we don’t even know what, or when. So we should get that confirmation just so you’ll stop eating yourself up, and I won’t have to question whether or not you _are_ my soulmate if something does happen before we get that confirmation. I don’t want to run away, and one stupid fishing line shouldn’t change anything.”

Finnick can only nod dumbly in response. She really is the bravest person he knows.

              *

Five years later, Finnick lets his soulmate volunteer.

Annie is calm the whole train trip to the Capitol, sinking in the sights and complaining whenever she deems Finnick got a detail wrong in his descriptions. He feels he’s more nervous than she is, as she watches her act as if she isn’t about to fight to the death just a few days later.

But she’d look up with her wide eyes and shrug.

“I’m not scared,” she says. “Because you’ll protect me, won’t you? As you always do?”

When Finnick doesn’t reply, she takes his hand in hers and squeezes.

“Even if I die here, I’ll still be happy,” she adds quietly. “I’ll be happy because I got to spend ten years of my life with you, and I’m glad that I didn’t have to spend it pining while you wasted it in fear of the inevitable. It doesn’t matter if we have limited time or if it’s going to end in tragedy, we just have to make sure we use that time the best we can.”

He kisses her in response, because he’s been so incredibly stupid, and he probably does not deserve her. It’s probably not right that it’s the tribute who’s comforting the mentor the few days before the games. But he doesn’t care – this is what Annie means, right? Using whatever time they have the best they can.

So he’s going to love bravely, because it’s what Annie deserves.

              **

Another six years later, Finnick is in the sewers and he’s never going to see the light again.

He looks at Katniss above him and finds he cannot regret his decision. This was always what was going to happen, he’s only surprised he’s survived this long.

The fishing line was wrong all along, because their relationship isn’t a tragedy. Not when they’d defied all odds, survived three Hunger Games, and they’ve been happy. And they have a child, who will grow up in that better future after Katniss inevitably overtops the Capitol.

So really, it’s been amazing and he’s going to take the courage Annie taught him to fight a glorious last stand, instead. He can be brave, too, you see. 

**Author's Note:**

> Say hi on [Tumblr](https://gigglepud.tumblr.com)!


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